Chancellor Angela Merkel put up a spirited defence of her leadership yesterday, vowing to “fight for my vision” of how to deal with the refugee crisis that has stretched Germany’s resources and damaged her standing. Infighting in Ms Merkel’s ruling coalition and a unilateral decision by her interior minister on asylum policy have raised questions about the chancellor’s leadership, though coalition sources have dismissed speculation of a “putsch” against her.
A poll for television station ZDF yesterday showed a narrow majority of Germans believed Merkel was doing a bad job of handling the refugee crisis. Critics say her accommodating message in August that “we can do this” – responding to wrenching scenes of refugees faced with border closures and popular hostility in trying to enter some EU states – have spurred migrants to pour into Germany in ever larger numbers, overwhelming the resources of local authorities.
This is about me fighting, fighting for the plan I have to tackle the causes of the refugee flight
The 61-year-old chancellor struck a defiant tone when interviewed for a ZDF programme headlined ‘What now Frau Merkel?’ “The chancellor has the situation under control ... I have my vision and I will fight for it,” she said, adding that she wanted to address the root causes of the refugees’ flight and to better protect the European Union’s outer borders. Asked if she was ready to risk her office over her policy on the refugee crisis, Ms Merkel replied: “No, I have so much to do at the moment,” adding a slight laugh.
“I am available for voters for this legislative period.” Ms Merkel will complete 10 years in office later this month. Subject to rapid-fire questions by two interviewers, Ms Merkel insisted: “I am not the first chancellor who had to fight for something.” Germany has taken in the great majority of migrants in a record-breaking flood into Europe of migrants escaping wars and deprivation in the Middle East, Africa and Asia that is likely to exceed one million people by year-end.
Local authorities are struggling to cope with the influx and the ‘welcome culture’ that Germany projected over the summer has soured as concerns mount about how to manage the new arrivals. Tensions within Ms Merkel's conservative bloc worsened this week after it emerged that Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere tried to tighten controls three weeks ago without informing Ms Merkel or her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, whom she charged with overseeing the government's handling of the refugee crisis. Asked whether she could face questions about her party's trust in her at a CDU conference next month, Ms Merkel responded matter-of-factly: “This is not about a question of trust.”
“This is about me fighting, fighting for the plan I have to tackle the causes of the refugee flight,” she told ZDF.